By Ananya Sharma 
Chennai, November 22: The build-up to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s first major public engagement in nearly two months has taken a noticeably cautious turn, and the mood inside the party is a mix of anticipation and quiet tension. Vijay, who has kept a relatively low public profile since the Karur stampede in September, is expected to meet residents of Kancheepuram on Sunday in what TVK volunteers describe as a slow and careful return to the road.
A Tighter, Smaller Gathering
The meeting will take place at the Jeppiaar Institute of Technology campus near Sunguvarchathram, a quiet stretch on the outskirts of Chennai. Organisers say the crowd will be nothing like the surging masses that chased Vijay’s convoy earlier this year. Instead, roughly 2,000 people with QR-coded passes will be allowed inside the hall. That figure is far lower than the numbers TVK usually attracts, but reflects the mood within the party after weeks of soul-searching.
Volunteers working at the venue said the restrictions are deliberate. They were seen cordoning off smaller roads, checking passes, and asking unregistered visitors to leave well before the event. To them, this system feels safer and more manageable and also less emotionally charged than the open rallies that once defined TVK’s early momentum.
Why This Meeting Matters
For TVK, Sunday’s gathering is more than a simple meet and greet. Around 1,500 participants from nearly thirty-five villages are expected to place local issues directly before the actor-turned-politician. Many of these are familiar concerns in the district, such as water access, transport links, land disputes, and youth employment. Still, the context has shifted. After the tragedy in Karur, even routine interactions have taken on a heavier meaning. The party knows that any misstep will be closely watched.
As it turns out, this is also the first of several smaller district-level interactions that TVK hopes to scale up in December. The larger statewide campaign is scheduled to restart around the second week of December with the opening leg planned in Salem, according to recent reporting. The party’s strategists have been telling supporters that big rallies will return only after every safety detail is reviewed and reworked.
The Alliance Whispers Have Not Fully Settled
Even as TVK prepares for this careful reentry, the speculation around alliances refuses to die down. Earlier this week, the Indian National Congress set up a five-member panel to begin seat-sharing talks with the DMK for the 2026 Assembly elections, a move that many observers described as a quiet but firm signal that the Congress is not drifting toward Vijay’s camp.
According to the Economic Times, the panel is headed by Girish Chodankar and has been tasked with fast-tracking negotiations ahead of the election cycle. The announcement effectively closes the door on rumours that the Congress might consider a fresh alignment with TVK. Senior party figures have said privately that such talk was never on the table. Still, the speculation has persisted because of the actor’s unpredictable political positioning.
For now, TVK appears comfortable staying outside the major coalitions. Party volunteers say the focus is on building a voter base from the ground up. The Kancheepuram meeting fits that approach as it allows organisers to screen participants and collect household-level information before Vijay arrives.
Inside TVK, A Different Kind Of Preparation
There is an unmistakable shift in tone among TVK workers. Earlier months were marked by open celebratory energy that often spilled onto roads and highways. Now the conversations are about list management, entry protocols, and medical arrangements. Some volunteers at the venue said they were instructed to prioritise calm crowd movement over visual enthusiasm.
That said, the excitement around Vijay’s arrival has not faded entirely. Small groups continue to gather outside the gates, hoping for even a brief glimpse. Many are long-time fans who may never make it inside the hall due to the strict pass rules. One volunteer said that turning people away has been the hardest part, but they prefer disappointing supporters to risking unsafe numbers.
What To Expect On Sunday
If TVK sticks to the plan, the meeting is expected to be a structured interaction lasting a few hours. There will be introductions from district representatives, villagers explaining local concerns, and Vijay responding or taking notes. Media access is likely to be limited since the party has maintained a consistent preference for internal communication since the Karur incident.
Still, the takeaway from Sunday will not be just about what Vijay says. It will be about how TVK demonstrates control over a crowd for the first time after a traumatic episode. The party’s credibility, especially among undecided voters, may hinge less on speeches and more on logistics.
For supporters, this will feel like the beginning of a long-awaited second phase. For critics, it will be a test of whether TVK can transition from personality-driven rallies to a disciplined political organisation. For the party itself, the day will be a reminder of how much has changed in the span of eight weeks.
The Larger Picture
Tamil Nadu’s political climate is already warming up well before the 2026 timetable. The DMK and Congress are moving to secure their alliance. The AIADMK is still trying to find its footing after internal churn. Other regional players are repositioning themselves for the coming year. TVK enters this landscape as the most-watched unknown, a party with growing influence but unclear boundaries.
Sunday’s controlled event in Kancheepuram will not answer every question about Vijay’s political strategy. Still, it will offer the clearest look yet at how the party intends to move forward after September and how seriously it views organisational discipline.
For now, all eyes are on whether TVK can pull off a quiet, safe and stable meeting. In Tamil Nadu’s charged political season, that alone would be a statement.
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- Ananya Sharmahttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ananya/
- Ananya Sharmahttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ananya/
- Ananya Sharmahttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ananya/
- Ananya Sharmahttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ananya/
